Firozpur district
Ferozepur district (Doabi:ਫੇਰੋਜ਼ੇਪੁਰ ਜ਼ਿਲਾ) is one of the twenty two th districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. It comprises an area of 11,142 km². The surface is level, with the exception of a few sand-hills in the south and south-east. The country consists of two distinct tracts that are liable to annual fertilizing inundations from the Sutlej, the only river, which runs along the north-western boundary. The principal crops are wheat, barley, millet, gram, pulses, oil seeds, cotton, tobacco, &c. The manufactures are of the humblest kind, consisting chiefly of cotton and wool-weaving and are confined entirely to the supply of local wants. The other important towns and sea of commerce are Zira, Dharmkot, Mallanwalla and Talwandi Bhai . Geographically it is the biggest district of Punjab. Owing principally to the dryness of its climate (apart from annual rains in September and October), Ferozepur has the reputation of being an exceptionally healthy district. It has second most rice mills in Punjab and used to be big trade centre before partition of India and Pakistan. Firozpur city is the capital of this District. The Firozpur Cantonment adjoining Ferozepur city combines with the city to give the district its most urban hub. It is one of the oldest cantonments in India History Ferozepur District was part of the Mamdot estate. The capital city, Ferozepur, is believed to have been founded by Firoze Shah Tughluqe from which the district obtains its name. In 1838, as part of the first Anglo-Afghan war, troops of the British East India Company marched from Ferozepur to Kabul. Seven years later during the Anglo-Sikh War the area was the scene of conflict between the Khalsa army and the British. It has always remained an important place throughout its existence. It has always remained as a border area, earlier between Sikhs and Britishers and now between India and Pakistan.History - Ferozepur Online at the time of partition To counter-balance the relatively small share of Gurdaspur district awarded to Pakistan, Radcliffe attempted to instead transfer Firozpur and Zira tehsils in Firozpur district to Pakistan. This was opposed by the Maharaja of Bikaner because Harike headworks on the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers, from where a canal originated, the only source of water for his desert state was in Ferozepore. It was only after he threatened Mountbatten, that he would accede his state to Pakistan if Firozpur was awarded to West Punjab, that the award was changed at the last minute and all of Firozpur district was awarded to India Location It is located next to the border with Pakistan, the border being to its west. It has the district of Amritsar to its north, and district of Fazilka to the south. Geography It has extreme climate, with the summers being very hot and the winters very cold. The River Sutlej runs through the district and moves over to the Pakistan side through the Ferozpur Pakistan border. There is a large lake made at the Hussainiwala headworks. Due to new district carved out lately on the east of Firozpur district are Moga district and Faridkot district. Towards the south it touches Mukatsar district as well. On the southwest lies Ganganagar district. On the North it is separated from Kapurthala district and in the northwest it is separated from Amritsar district by Satluj River (formerly: Sutlej). Demographics According to the 2011 census Firozpur district has a population of 2,026,831,Population - Ferozepur Online roughly equal to the nation of Slovenia or the US state of New Mexico. This gives it a ranking of 230th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.08 %. Firozpur has a sex ratio of 893 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 69.8 %. Before the 1947 partition Firozpur District was a Muslim majority district as Muslims 75%, Hindus, 50%, Sikhs 10%. Languages Tongues spoken in Firzopur include Bagri, a tonal language in the Rajasthani cluster spoken by an estimated 2 100 000. Administration The district is administratively subdivided into the following tehsils: * Firozpur * Zira * Guru Har Sahai References External links * Category:Districts of Punjab, India Category:Firozpur district